It was a family fun day with performances from groups such as Beating Wing Orchestra and Kokoriko. WAST – Women Asylum Seekers Together also gave a moving performance. The main stage was in the square, but there was also a second stage in the town hall itself. More than 40 different nationalities were represented in the day’s events. The stunning historical setting of the Town Hall playing host to new and established communities which have contributed to the unique character of Manchester was very fitting.

Drum workshops, dance workshops, mask making, face and henna painting were among the days activities and the crowds persevered through the dissapointing weather. Besides crafts and information stalls, food stalls also represented the diverse communities which call Manchester home – Bosnian, Eritrean, West African, Sudanese and Polish fare were some of the exotic tastes on offer. 

As the funding ends this year, Exodus might not be back unless new funding sources are found which will be a shame if such an uplifting spectacle of Manchester’s rich and diverse culture is lost!